The Most Underrated Productivity Hack I've Ever Adopted

I want to talk about a (very) simple productivity hack that helped me become:

• More focused

• More productive

• More successful

By doing nothing but separating myself from something that I think a lot more people are addicted to than they think.

A Fundamental Problem

I’ve had this theory for a while, and it’s something that I’ve never spoken about before.

But, I truly believe we’re living in a time where a lot of people are actually addicted to their phones.

You see, things like:

• Smartphones

• Social media

• Vapes etc.

Are all still so new in society that nobody knows a great deal about the negative effects of these things.

Sure, we could all take guesses, but it could take years or even decades to see long term effects on people.

But for this, I want to talk about our phones, because there’s a serious problem.

Think about it for a second…

Are you addicted to your phone?

How long can you go without subconsciously going on your phone?

• Doomscrolling on social media

• Playing an addictive new game

• Gambling or online shopping

Do you know what the real problem is?

All of these tasks are designed to make you addicted.

They give you short boosts of dopamine, kind of like taking a drug, which you’re designed to keep going back to because your body loves it.

And as a result, phone addiction is becoming as bad as any other addiction.

You don’t realise it yet because it’s something that nobody talks about.

But, you know what else nobody is talking about? This simple solution.

My Productivity Hack

It’s simple, but so incredibly effective, you have to give it a try.

At my old job, and when I first started my business, I would have my phone at my desk, and would find myself subconsciously going on it every now and then to doomscroll and play games.

In fact, it was one day when I was doomscrolling on TikTok for about 10 minutes did I realise this.

I felt like I was in a trance, or being hypnotised.

And then I snapped out of it, wondering “what the heck was that?”

It was the weirdest experience, but it made me realise just how controlling our phones can be, and also how detrimental they can be to our focus, and overall productivity.

So, I looked for solutions, and a simple one changed everything.

But first, you need to understand why.

You see, this “phone addiction” that I’m talking about is subconscious, which means it’s something you do without thinking about it.

You go on your phone because it’s right in front of you.

Well, the solution is to remove the ability to subconsciously go on your phone.

And by this, I mean remove your phone from your area of work.

You can:

• Leave it in another room.

• Leave it in your bag.

• Leave it on another desk.

Unless you’re someone who needs your mobile for work (there are still ways around this) ensuring your phone is far away from you when you’re working will be one of the best things you ever do.

And here are some of the benefits that I quickly realised one I started practicing this…

Key Benefits from Experience

Better Focus & Attention Span

It’s a simple benefit, but that’s why I’m talking about it.

You work better.

You’re more focused on your tasks.

You can produce and perform at a higher level.

You can work longer without being tired or in need of a break.

All of these were benefits I started seeing within a few days of restricting my access to my phone.

Better Mental Health

I believe that phones & social media are detrimental to your mental health, and since:

• Restricting access to my phone.

• Deleting certain social media apps.

• Stopping doomscrolling.

And combining this with good habits like:

• Going for walks.

• Running 3x a week.

• Writing every day.

My mental health and overall happiness has skyrocketed.

More Enjoyment From Your Phone

When you restrict access to something:

• Eating takeaways

• Video games

• Watching TV

They become more enjoyable.

Think about it.

Everyone loves McDonalds. But, if you eat McDonalds everyday, you lose the enjoyment because it just becomes normality.

But, if you restrict your access, and only have it say once a month, it’ll be the best thing ever, because it’s a rare occurrence.

You can use this mentality with your phone.

The less time you spend on:

• Social media

• Games etc.

The more you’ll enjoy it.

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